ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · wave · bulb · bear · stand · drill · plane · race

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. drill — the tool
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bear — the animal
  5. drill — a practice
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. race — humankind
  9. bulb — for light
  10. race — a contest
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. snap — to click
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. plane — a tool
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. drill — army training
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. snap — to speak sharply

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com